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Children's health

Ketone breath on six month old

11 replies

Zaurak · 25/04/2016 08:59

My six month old has ketone breath. He did when he was born and apparently that's not unusual due to the metabolic changes which occurr around birth.
But he's six months now and still has it. He's not sick, not coming down with anything as far as I can tell. He appears to be a perfectly happy baby (albeit a constantly milk seeking non sleeper...)

Dh can't smell it. Am I going mad??

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PerspicaciaTick · 25/04/2016 09:04

Can anyone else smell it, such as HV or GP?

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Zaurak · 25/04/2016 09:07

We don't have health visitors where I live. His next check isnt for another six weeks and will be with the nurse (who is lovely but hasn't been much use so far) and I'm not sure if it's something I should waste the gps time on ...

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Zaurak · 25/04/2016 09:12

It is a standing joke between me and dh that my sense of smell is crazy 😳
He couldn't smell it when he was born but I could - and so could the paediatrician (who said it was ok.)

I know kids can get it when they're coming down with something but he isn't... (Also sick breath smells subtly different to me.) this is pure ketone. It's unmistakable.

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PerspicaciaTick · 25/04/2016 09:22

I would want that checked out by my GP then, especially if you think the nurse might not be helpful.
I think it is uncommon enough to be worth asking about.

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twotoesforwardonefootback · 25/04/2016 09:26

Any other symptoms that would suggest anything else is wrong?
I know that smell & my son recently had it during a virus & his blood sugars were 2.7 at A&E. But alongside that smell, he was also floppy, not making sense & then was suddenly sick with no temperature.
Is it on waking - i.e a long time after food/milk?
Are there any metabolic conditions in your family?
Maybe book a routine appointment at the GP if it sticks around & keep a bit of log of when you notice it.

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Zaurak · 25/04/2016 09:35

I smell it when I feed him lying down (I gues our faces are close together?) he doesn't go long between feeds - he's bf on demand and gets three solids a day (baby oatmeal plus little bits of fruit/veg/whatever we have.) hes a healthy baby - the only issue we have is sleep - he can't go more than 20-30 mins without waking and nothing calms him but boob. I'd assumed this was just a bad sleep association? The baby clinic just shrugged and told me to leave him to cry :/ ( as I said, they are not helpful.)

No metabolic conditions in either family - my blood sugar has been at low end of normal all the way through pregnancy.

I'll see if I can get a docs appt. just if dh can't smell it then the gp is unlikely to either.

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twotoesforwardonefootback · 25/04/2016 09:45

Have sent you a PM, the waking & need for food can be another symptom.

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TormundGiantsbabe · 25/04/2016 09:47

It's totally normal for nothing but boob to calm a six month old, I wouldn't worry about that.

Also, my bf baby's breath smells very sweet because of the breastmilk. Are you sure it's ketones you can smell and not just normal lovely baby breath?

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twotoesforwardonefootback · 25/04/2016 10:31

I know that boob & milk constantly is normal - however it can also be relevant with the ketotic smell, I have pm'd the OP in case anything fits for her - as one element when we looked back (after our diagnosis) of not settling after milk & being ketotic was a symptom for our child's particular condition.

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Lifeisontheup2 · 25/04/2016 12:51

Apparently the ability to smell ketones is genetic so just because someone can't smell it doesn't mean it's not there.

My DD frequently used to smell of it from about that age until she was 3 ish, never found out why. It did used to be stronger when she was going down with a cold or similar and just before food.
I have a history of blood sugars on the lower side of normal so it may have been that she was similar to me.
You mention that your sugars were low at the end of pregnancy so perhaps he takes after you.

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Zaurak · 25/04/2016 13:03

Thanks for the PM!

I'm absolutely sure it's ketones. I'm a scientist with a sense of smell that would shame a turkey vulture I know my chemical smells..

I'll sniff him more regularly and see if I can see a pattern. He's refusing spoon delivered food just now (wants to grab the spoon and fling the contents in the wall) so perhaps time to start on finger food to get more down him.

My sugars when tested during pregnancy an hour after brekkie were 2.7-3 so I know I have a tendency to low blood sugar.